Gov. Cuomo pledges full support to Sen. Roy McDonald if he runs as third-party candidate (WITH LETTER)

By LUCIAN McCARTY

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

ALBANY -- In a letter written Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledged his full support to Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga, if the senator decides to run as a third-party candidate in the November election.

"Please know this, whatever you decide it would be my honor to stand with you and support your decisions and effort," Cuomo wrote in the letter, which was originally addressed "Dear Senator McDonald" but was crossed out and replaced with "Roy."

McDonald was one of four Republican senators last year who voted with Democrats in favor of Cuomo's initiative to legalize same-sex marriage. In the letter, Cuomo said he believes that vote "was a contributing factor to your defeat" in the Sept. 13 primary against Kathy Marchione, who claimed victory in that race Tuesday.

When Marchione accused McDonald during a debate of voting for same-sex marriage in order to solicit campaign donations, he shot back: "I did it because I am a human being who cares. I could have found an easier way to get elected."

McDonald lost his primary bid by just more than 100 votes -- less than 1 percent of the vote.

His name will still appear on the Independence Party line in November, but statements from his campaign have not confirmed whether he will continue to campaign as a third-party candidate.

In a statement Monday, McDonald spokesperson Michael Veitch said the campaign is "considering all available options at this time" and they plan to have a decision by the end of the week or early next week.

Calls for comment on the future of the campaign were not returned Tuesday or Wednesday.

In the letter, Cuomo singled out two other senators who supported the vote, but said while they "paid a price for their vote ... it was not politically fatal for them."

"I accept personal responsibility for proposing and strongly advocating the marriage equality legislation, and I remember personally asking for your support," Cuomo wrote. "It is now evident that you paid a political price for your convictions. You should not be left to stand alone now."

Cuomo blamed "political extremists -- on both sides of the aisle," for putting the fear of reprisal into the Legislature and contributing to the gridlock there.

He said he will offer his "full endorsement" if McDonald chooses to run on the Independence line. "This is a most personal decision, and I believe that either way you can't lose because you have already won -- you have done what you think is right."

Claverack Supervisor Robin Andrews, the Democratic candidate for the 43rd State Senate District, responded to the letter, saying she understood Cuomo's position.

"I know the value of people from opposite sides of the political spectrum being able to come together to make difficult decisions for the common good, and we hope for that from all our politicians," she said.

Andrews also said no matter what McDonald decides to do, she will remain in the race.

"Whatever Senator McDonald chooses to do will have no effect on my intentions of representing the 43rd Senate District," she said.

She added that she has been out speaking with people in all four counties for months, and "last year's same-sex marriage vote is not what they are concerned about."